At the request of Sacramento
Police Chief Albert Najera, a special team of the Drug Enforcement
Administration, known as the Mobile Enforcement
Team (MET), was deployed to the Oak Park Neighborhood of Sacramento.
The DEA established the MET Initiative in April 1995 to assist local
agencies and prosecutors with stopping violent criminals and organizations
causing drug related violence. By working with local agencies to target
organizations causing drug-related violence and to arrest key individuals
for narcotics trafficking, MET has helped reduce violence in hundreds
of communities across America. This MET, deployed out of the DEA’s
San Francisco Division, travels to geographic areas throughout Northern
California. In 2002, the DEA MET conducted a highly successful operation
in the Franklin Villa area of Sacramento.

SFFD SAC Javier F. Pena

In October of 2004, the MET team began working with the Sacramento
Police Department, the United States Attorney's Office in Sacramento,
and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. The MET initiative continued
through January of 2005, ending recently with a series of 58 arrests
- 24 defendants were charged in federal court, while 34 were charged
in state court. Of those arrests, 5 defendants were charged with federal
firearms violations, resulting from the seizure of 9 firearms. The remainder
were charged with Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Distribution
of Controlled Substances, or Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled
Substances. Almost all the defendants had prior felony drug convictions
which, in some cases, doubles the mandatory prison sentence under federal
law. Among the individuals arrested, 23 were documented gang members.
Law enforcement officers also seized a total of $273,025.00 in US currency
from drug traffickers operating in the Oak Park area.

These joint enforcement efforts
included the execution of 31 search warrants, 29 of which were authorized
by federal judges, the others by
state court judges. The officers and agents seized cocaine base, i.e., “Crack,” heroin,
methamphetamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), and marijuana. The majority of the drug
traffickers charged were operating retail distribution sites in residential
areas. These sites were frequently the subject of complaints from local
residents.

SAC Javier Pena stated: “Local,
state, and federal authorities collaborated in successfully disrupting
a drug organization operating
in the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento. The Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA) will maintain its unwavering support of this law enforcement partnership.
Because of our continuing efforts to address the drug threat in our area
of responsibility and protect our nation's citizens from the growing
menace of drugs and the violence associated with the drug trade, the
DEA will aggressively target those individuals intent on trafficking
in, producing, distributing, and profiting from dangerous and illegal
drugs. We will continue to lead a successful and collaborative law enforcement
campaign focusing on the disruption and dismantlement of drug trafficking
organizations with the ultimate goal of reducing the amount of illegal
drugs available in our country.”

Sacramento DO ASAC Gordon Taylor answering questions from TV reporter

Gordon Taylor, Assistant Special
Agent-in-Charge of the Sacramento District Office said: “These
drug dealers were like termites eating away at the foundation of a
house, but in this case they were eating away
at the community. The good people of Oak Park deserve to get their neighborhood
back and this is a step in the right direction.”

"The United States Attorney's Office is committed to working with the leaders
and residents of one of Sacramento's most historic neighborhoods, Oak Park, to
help their community thrive. Federal authorities stand ready to assist Police
Chief Najera to target hardcore offenders trafficking in drugs and guns in the
region. These most recent arrests and indictments serve as testament to that
fact," said Scott.

The defendants charged federally have either been indicted by a grand
jury or are awaiting indictment. Many of the defendants remain incarcerated
pending trial. If convicted, many of the defendants with prior convictions
face a mandatory minimum 10 year prison sentence. There is no parole
on federal sentences. One of the purposes of this joint endeavor is to
effectively and strategically enforce drug laws in cases of individuals
who have been previously convicted of similar drug trafficking crimes.
By prosecuting such cases in the federal court, the time that such drug
traffickers will actually serve is increased. The sentences for federal
offenses are generally longer than those under state law and, unlike
state court prisoners who can be released early on parole, federal prisoners
serve almost the full prison term before being released and then being
subjected to another several years of supervision.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent
until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.